| Reporting a defect on Fix My Street When making a report of a road or footway defect, or an incidence of fly tipping it has come to our attention that some submissions to “fix my street” have been made to the national site which is not Buckinghamshire specific. The correct site is https://fixmystreet.buckinghamshire.gov.uk If reported to the national service, it will be marked as completed once Buckinghamshire pick up the notice not when the repair has been completed. Please ensure if you do make a report as such it is to Buckinghamshire where it will be picked up much sooner. Man fined after being caught twice dumping waste in Buckinghamshire |
| A man who carried out two separate incidents of fly-tipping in Buckinghamshire has been fined for his crimes after appearing in court. Aurelian Stoev, 32, from Drayton Gardens, West Drayton, pleaded guilty to the two offences of illegal depositing of waste when he appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates Court on Wednesday 15 October 2025. The court heard that on Sunday 27 October 2024, a large pile of waste was dumped in the middle of the road at Hawkswood Lane in Fulmer. A witness came forward saying he saw two large tipper vans leaving the scene near where the waste was deposited between 3.15 and 3.30pm. Checking footage from a nearby Buckinghamshire Council camera, the recording showed a large tipper van, full of the same waste which was later found dumped, roughly 400 meters from where it was found. The court also heard that on Tuesday, 31 October 2024, a large pile of waste was found deposited on Langley Park Road in Iver. After examining the waste and finding evidence, Buckinghamshire Council officers were led to a building company. The company explained they had paid a man and van to remove the waste from an address in Northampton. The witness was able to provide council officers with bank details, a mobile number and a vehicle registration number. The same vehicle was used on both occasions and was traced back to Mr Stoev. In an interview at Slough Police Station, Mr Stoev admitted the first offence at Hawkswood Lane. He explained that as he drove through the ford at Hawkswood Lane his van broke down. Mr Stoev said he left the van at the site for a couple of days with no waste inside but when he returned to his vehicle, it was full of waste which someone must have put inside. However, after seeing the video evidence, Mr Stoev retracted his story and admitted to dumping the waste. Mr Stoev did not admit to the second offence at Langley Park Road. Magistrates at High Wycombe Magistrates Court fined Mr Stoev £1,038 for both offences and ordered him to pay costs and compensation of £3,075.30. A victim surcharge of £830.00 was also levied, making a total to pay of £5981.30. Ade Osibogun is Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Waste. He said: “Buckinghamshire Council has a zero-tolerance stance on fly-tipping. It is against the law and where we have the evidence to prosecute, we will seek to bring offenders to justice. “In this case the offender tried to fabricate a story to evade taking responsibility, but we have eyes everywhere and are supported by members of the public who feel as strongly as we do about fly-tipping. “We are grateful to everyone who joins us in our mission to stamp out fly-tipping and would ask anyone who sees anything suspicious or has evidence of a fly-tipping incident taking place to contact us so we can investigate.” If you have evidence showing an offence taking place and you are willing to provide a witness statement, please contact the council’s Enforcement Team at: SCRAPflytipping@buckinghamshire.gov.uk To report fly-tipping anywhere in Buckinghamshire visit: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/fix-my-street |
| Unpaid Carers – we are all “stronger with support” Do you know someone who is providing unpaid care for a family member, friend or neighbour? It is something people do without a second thought and although rewarding, providing regular care for another person can impact your own health and wellbeing. It can be tiring and sometimes lonely but help and support is available. Buckinghamshire Council is raising awareness of the range of support available to unpaid carers through its ‘Stronger with Support’ campaign which launches this week. An unpaid carer is anyone who regularly cares for another person who could not manage without them and is not paid to do so. The care provided can include washing, dressing or giving medicines, taking someone to a doctors’ appointment, shopping or cleaning, paying someone’s bills and organising their finances or providing emotional support to another person. In Buckinghamshire there are an estimated 55,000 carers but insight shows that less than a quarter are registered with Carers Bucks, the partner organisation providing support to carers in the county, therefore many may not be accessing the support available. Unpaid carers in Buckinghamshire can access specialist advice, information and support. From financial assistance to networking support groups and respite services to digital support, carers are encouraged to register with Carers Bucks to ensure they are able to access the full range of support available. Isobel Darby, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “Identifying yourself as a carer is the first step, as many people may not even realise what they are doing is caring. If it is something you are doing regularly for another person and that person is reliant on your help, that is caring. People often become carers without realising. It can start with taking on the occasional task for a friend or loved one which then increases over time until you are providing vital regular support without which that person could not live independently. “We want to make sure people know about the advice, information and support that is available to them so they can make sure they are looking after their own health and wellbeing.” Isobel continued: “Even if you are not a carer yourself, if you know someone who has caring responsibilities for another person, be sure to get them to take a look at the website.” For more information visit: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/stronger-with-support Library Flex rollout completed across Buckinghamshire’s main libraries Longer library opening hours and greater access are now on offer in Buckinghamshire after the council’s successful completion of its Library Flex rollout. The innovative service, now in place at eight of the county’s main libraries, offers staffed support during busy periods, with self-service access available during quieter times. Across all opening hours, including during Library Flex times, customers can borrow and return books, use computers and free Wi-Fi, print and photocopy documents, and make use of meeting rooms where available. Libraries also offer a warm, safe and welcoming space to study, work or simply connect with others in the community. The Library Flex milestone was celebrated at a special event on 14 October, attended by Leader of the Council Steven Broadbent and Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure Peter Brazier. The event also saw Steven Broadbent complete his own Library Flex induction, joining more than 2,000 residents who have already taken part in the training required to access libraries during unstaffed hours. Library Flex enables library members aged 16 and over to use their local library outside of traditional staffed times, thanks to self-service technology and enhanced security measures including CCTV and alarms. Until now, inductions have been delivered in person, but a new online induction is now making it even easier for residents to get started. From 1 October, Library Flex hours were extended further to offer greater access in the evenings and, at some locations, earlier in the day – ideal for students and anyone who prefers to visit outside of standard hours. Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said: “This is a great example of how we’re modernising services to meet the needs of our communities. Library Flex gives people more choice and convenience, while helping us deliver a sustainable library service for the future.” Peter Brazier, Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure, added: “Our Library Flex service is helping us keep libraries open and accessible to more people, even in these financially challenging times. It’s already proving popular with residents of all ages, and we’re seeing strong uptake in the induction programme. By combining technology with community-led use, we’re creating a flexible model that supports both individual needs and wider community engagement.” The eight libraries now operating under the Library Flex model are: Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Buckingham, Chesham, Hazlemere, Marlow and Princes Risborough. The model has already been successfully adopted by other councils across England and was shaped by extensive public consultation in Buckinghamshire. Staff continue to be available during peak times, while unstaffed hours are supported by robust safety measures and community-led activities. For more information, including opening hours and how to complete an induction, visit: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries/library-flex-opening-hours Man pays a hefty price for littering in Buckinghamshire A man from Watford who discarded a single cigarette butt outside a parade of shops in Little Chalfont has paid a hefty price for the offence after being forced to pay over £1,600 by Magistrates in court. Arthur McCann, from Northwich Road, Watford, was convicted of littering, in his absence, when the case was heard at Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on 1 October 2025. The court heard that on 25 February 2025, a cigarette butt was littered outside the parade of shops in Little Chalfont. Buckinghamshire Council’s litter enforcement officers witnessed the offence and issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £500. McCann chose not to pay the penalty and so the council reviewed the case and submitted it for prosecution. In court, Magistrates fined McCann £500 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £941.16. A victim surcharge of £200 was also levied, making a total to pay of £1,641.16. Carl Jackson is Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change & Waste. He said: “This case sends the message loud and clear that Buckinghamshire Council takes a zero-tolerance approach to littering. Anyone caught littering will be issued with a £500 Fixed Penalty Notice. If that person chooses to ignore the notice, they could end up facing prosecution and paying much more.” Carl added: “There is no reason to drop litter. A discarded cigarette might be small, but it is still litter which contains harmful substances. I urge people to put their rubbish in a public bin or take it home and dispose of it responsibly there.” Buckinghamshire Council has a zero-tolerance stance on littering and encourages members of the public to report littering incidents. Littering from vehicles is another primary concern in the county, costing taxpayers millions of pounds annually for cleaning. The enforcement team welcomes public submissions of littering offences captured by vehicle dashcams or home CCTV systems to help address this issue. All penalty fees are reinvested into the service to create a cleaner Buckinghamshire. To report littering offences visit: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/report-problems-on-roads-streets-and-pavements/report-littering-from-vehicles/ |